1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to bags and backpacks.
2. Prior Art
Backpacks are typically used by kids for carrying books and supplies to school. Kids who play ball, such as basketball, frequently also carry balls with them to school. However, many types of balls are too big to fit into a conventional backpack already filled with books.
Various specialized backpacks are known in the prior art. An example disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,581 to Reddy et al. includes a single compartment for carrying a ball. A mesh window is provided on the backpack for viewing the ball. However, there is no compartment for carrying anything else, such as books. A knapsack disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,819,98 to Chehehar includes a zippered compartment for carrying personal items, and a hinged platform that functions as a miniature basketball court when unfolded. A tiny basketball basket is unfolded from a rear panel of the backpack when the platform is unfolded. Neither the zippered compartment nor the hinged platform can hold a full sized basketball.
A backpack disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,287 to Cormier includes front and back halves that are zippered together. The front half includes a compartment for carrying personal items. The back half includes an exterior projection in the shape of half a basketball. The interior of the basketball-shaped projection is hollow for being put on a person's head, so that the back half functions as a cap. Both halves are rigid enough to maintain a preformed shape. However, even if the hollow part of the projection is sized for carrying a basketball, the rear half must be completely detached from the front half to put in or remove the ball, which is very inconvenient. Also, when the back half is detached, the ball would fall out immediately because there is nothing to retain the ball in the hollow space.
A bag disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,085,320 to Scott is comprised of two hemispherical halves that are zippered together to form a spherical bag for carrying a basketball. There is no compartment for carrying anything else. Another sports bag disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 363,817 to Beckwith includes two hemispherical halves connected by a tubular middle portion. The middle portion is collapsible into the hemispherical halves.
None of the prior art backpacks are sized for carrying a ball and personal items at the same time. Even if they are, each of them only provides a single compartment in which the large ball is mixed with the personal items. Although some of them are ball shaped, none of them literally suggests that it is for carrying a ball.